Tuesday, September 2, 2025
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Katie Lee

construction and designNewsretailers

Academy Sports + Outdoors Opens 11 New Stores in Q3 2025

by Katie Lee

Katy, Texas — Academy Sports + Outdoors has opened three new locations in Boardman, Ohio; Beaufort, S.C.; and Virginia Beach, Va.; and will open eight more stores in fall 2025 in Rome, Ga.; Cullman, Ala.; Mishawaka, Ind.; Lakeland, Fla.; Columbia, Tenn.; Albany, Ga.; Palestine, Texas; and Batesville Miss. To date, Academy has opened 11 new stores in 2025 with plans to open 20-25 new locations this fiscal year. Combined, the 11 new stores opening this quarter are expected to bring more than 650 total new jobs across Academy’s footprint. Academy …

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construction and designfranchise developmentNewsrestaurants

Jimmy John’s Opens Second Location in Canada, With 12 More Scheduled to Open by Year’s End

by Katie Lee

Montreal — Jimmy John’s has opened its second location in Canada, inside Fallsview Casino in Niagara Falls. The opening is part of a wave of new stores — 12 according to the last count — that will open across Canada by year’s end. New stores are expected to open in Winnipeg, Ottawa, Edmonton, Barrie, Windsor and additional locations in the Greater Toronto Area. “We have a big appetite for opening new stores because we know how much our fellow Canadians appreciate a fantastic-tasting sandwich with fresh ingredients,” says Peter Mammas, …

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kitchen equipmentNewsProduct Spotlightrestaurantssoftware/technologyvendors

Taco Bueno® Selects PAR® Technology to Elevate Restaurant Operations

by Katie Lee

New Hartford, N.Y. — Taco Bueno, a popular quick-service Tex-Mex chain, has selected PAR Technology Corporation as its unified technology partner. The brand will implement PAR POS™ and PAR Hardware™ solutions across its 140 locations to modernize operations, enhance the guest experience and support long term growth. As Taco Bueno scales and streamlines operations across its expanding footprint, the leadership team prioritized finding a technology partner that could offer both enterprise-grade capabilities and intuitive usability for in-store staff. Taco Bueno selected PAR Technology for its comprehensive ecosystem of industry-leading integrations …

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Newspeopleretailers

Grocery Outlet Appoints EVP, Chief Store Operations Officer

by Katie Lee

Emeryville, Calif. — Grocery Outlet Holding Corp. has appointed Frank Kerr to executive vice president, chief store operations officer, effective Sept. 15, 2025. He joins Grocery Outlet from Lidl US, where he most recently served as senior vice president, operations, and its chief customer officer. Kerr has more than a decade of progressive leadership experience in the grocery retail space, and has a strong track record of driving growth, efficiency and profitability across large store fleets. During his tenure with Lidl, he oversaw the grocer’s expansion into the U.S., achieving …

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construction and designfranchise developmentNewsrestaurants

Eggs Up Grill Approaches Milestone 100th Restaurant Opening

by Katie Lee

Spartanburg, S.C. — Eggs Up Grill, a fast-growing “better breakfast” restaurant franchise, wil open its 100th location next month. This milestone follows 4 years of rapid expansion during which the brand nearly doubled in size, driven by consistent positive guest counts, a 40% increase in average restaurant volumes, and strong same-store sales performance as Eggs Up Grill approaches its 19th consecutive quarter of growth. “This milestone is not just about reaching our 100th location; it is another in our growing list of accomplishments built on our unique brand positioning and …

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Industry Contentkitchen exhaust/grease controlrestaurantsVendor Spotlightvendors

HOODZ International: Signature Vendor Spotlight

by Katie Lee

— Interview with Nathan Willard — R&R: Where are you based and how long has the company been in business? Nathan Willard: HOODZ is based out of Ann Arbor, Michigan. We have been in business since 1972 and have provided franchising opportunities since 2009. R&R: What is your name and title, and how long have you been with the company? Willard: My name is Nathan Willard, and I have acted as president of HOODZ International since 2015.    R&R: What trades/services do you offer retailers and restaurants? Willard: As the leading …

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construction and designNewsproperty managementremodels

Ferragamo Reopens Newly Designed Store at Royal Hawaiian Center

by Katie Lee

Honolulu — Ferragamo has reopened a newly designed boutique at Waikīkī’s premier luxury destination, Royal Hawaiian Center. Located along the iconic Kalākaua Avenue, Ferragamo has officially opened its doors to the two-floor space. The space pays tribute to Ferragamo’s design codes rooted in Italian-crafted excellence as well as the innovative, modern vision that its creative director, Maximilian Davis, has for Ferragamo. Unique, luxurious materials and textures are strategically integrated throughout the boutique, evoking contemporary classicism — such as internal panels in calacatta and lined stucco, while stairs are crafted from …

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construction and designfranchise developmentNewsrestaurants

Bobby’s Burgers by Bobby Flay to Enter Canada with 65-Unit Development Agreement

by Katie Lee

Charlotte, N.C. — Bobby’s Burgers by Bobby Flay, the premium handcrafted burger concept co-founded by renowned chef Bobby Flay, has signed a multi-year agreement with The Falcon Capital Group to open 65 locations across Canada. “Expanding into Canada and becoming an international brand is a major milestone,” says Flay. “The Falcon Capital Group brings proven expertise in brand development and retail franchising that makes them the ideal partners to bring our signature handcrafted burgers, fries and milkshakes to a new audience. I look forward to working with the accomplished team …

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franchise developmentNewsretailers

Spirit Halloween to Open More Than 1,500 Locations for 2025

by Katie Lee

Egg Harbor Township, N.J. — Spirit Halloween is expected to open more than 1,500 store locations across North America this year. “The opening of Spirit Halloween stores signals the start of something special for our guests and our dedicated team that works year-round to reach this moment,” says Steven Silverstein, CEO of Spirit Halloween. “We know every guest looks to our stores as an entertainment destination that brings the spirit of the season to life — and this year is no different, as we unveil our unique in-store experience inspired …

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franchise developmentNewspeoplerestaurants

Applebee’s Appoints Chief Operations Officer

by Katie Lee

Pasadena, Calif. — Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill + Bar has appointed Jerrold (Jay) Wong as chief operations officer, reinforcing the brand’s commitment to bold innovation, operational excellence and long term growth. He will officially join Applebee’s on Sept. 15. As COO, Wong will focus on driving consistency, accelerating growth and working closely with his team and franchisees to elevate restaurant performance and deliver a seamless guest experience across the system. Wong brings extensive leadership experience from across the hospitality industry, having scaled global teams and led transformations at world-class brands including …

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